Qix

Qix (クイックス) is a 1981 puzzle video game developed and published by Taito for arcades. Designed by husband and wife team Randy and Sandy Pfeiffer, Qix is one of a handful of games made by Taito's American division (another is Zoo Keeper).[11] At the start of each level, the playing field is a large, empty rectangle, containing the Qix, an abstract stick-like entity that performs graceful but unpredictable motions within the confines of the rectangle. The objective is to draw lines that close off parts of the rectangle to fill in a set amount of the playfield.

Qix was ported to the contemporary Atari 5200 (1982), Atari 8-bit computers (1983),[12] and Commodore 64 (1983), then was brought to a wide variety of systems in the late 1980s and early 1990s: MS-DOS (1989), Amiga (1989), another version for the C64 (1989), Apple IIGS (1990), Game Boy (1990), Nintendo Entertainment System (1991), and Atari Lynx (1991).

Multiple home and arcade sequels followed and the concept was widely cloned. In the Gals Panic series from Kaneko, each captured area is not filled with a color, but reveals part of an image of a woman; this itself has been cloned into erotic-oriented games based on the concept of Qix.

Gameplay

Controls consist of a four-direction joystick and two buttons: "Slow Draw" and "Fast Draw".

The player controls a diamond-shaped marker that initially moves along the edges of the playfield. Holding down one of the draw buttons allows the marker to draw a line (Stix) in unclaimed territory in an attempt to create a closed shape. Once an area is captured, it is filled with color and points are awarded based on the area claimed and drawing speed. Areas captured entirely with Slow Draw (orange-red in the screenshot) are worth double. The titular Qix is a colorful geometric figure in constant and random motion. The Qix will not actively seek out the marker, and it will not harm the marker if it collides with it while the marker is traversing the edge of the playfield or of any captured area. However, if the Qix collides with the marker as it is drawing a Stix before a new area is captured (or it touches the exposed Stix), one life is lost.

The marker cannot cross or backtrack along the line being drawn. If the marker stops while drawing, a fuse appears and burns along the line toward the marker; if it reaches the marker, the player loses one life. The fuse disappears once the marker is moved. If the player draws into a position where it cannot proceed any further, the fuse is triggered. The attract mode calls this a "Spiral Death Trap".

Sparx are enemies that traverse all playfield edges except unfinished Stix. A life is lost if one hits the marker. A meter at the top of the screen counts down to the release of additional Sparx and the mutation of all Sparx into Super Sparx, which can chase the marker along uncompleted Stix.

To complete a level, the player must claim a 75% percentage of the playfield (adjustable to be between 50% and 90%). If a level is completed by exceeding the minimum area percentage, a bonus is awarded for every 1% beyond the threshold.

Starting in level three, the player faces two Qixes. Splitting the playfield into two regions, each containing one Qix, ends the level. No immediate bonus is awarded for this, but a bonus multiplier is applied to the scoring in all subsequent levels. This multiplier starts at one before the first time that the Qix are split and increases by one for every additional splitting of the Qix, to a maximum of nine. Levels also add additional Sparx and the eventual appearance of only Super Sparx.

Reception

Upon release, Qix was a commercial hit. In 1983, Electronic Games reported that the game exceeded Taito's expectations, quickly rising to being one of the most popular titles of the year. The magazine attributes the game's success to it being unlike any other game at the time, specifically for its unique premise and gameplay mechanics. A year after its debut, its popularity declined and the game became largely forgotten. Keith Egging, Taito's "Director of Creativity",[15] told Electronic Games: "Qix was conceptually too mystifying for gamers. [...] It was impossible to master and once the novelty wore off, the game faded".[16] In Japan, it was the fifth highest-grossing arcade game of 1981.[17] The game has since been dubbed a sleeper hit.

Qix and its home conversions have received largely positive reviews. The game was praised for its original concept and ideas, and has been described as a cultural phenomenon.[18] Video, which reviewed the Atari 5200 release, applauded its gameplay and bizarre yet interesting premise. They reported similar reactions from players, who enjoyed its mechanics and gameplay.[18] Video staff described the game as being a "cult phenomenon loved by a few and ignored by" more hardcore gamers. The home computer versions of Qix were praised by Russel Sipe of Computer Gaming World for its fascinating gameplay and for welcoming newcomers.[19] In How to Beat the Video Games Michael Blanchet said that 'Qix is probably the most complicated video game to emerge in years, yet its simplicity is beautiful. I think of it as electronic real estate. [...] Qix is a state of the art "Etch a Sketch."'[20]

Retrospective coverage of Qix has also been positive. AllGame's Brett Alan Weiss commended Qix for its addictive gameplay, technological accomplishments, and responsive controls. While he believed the graphics and sound effects were overly simplistic and crude, he said the game as a whole is "abstract minimalism at its videogame best".[13] Retro Gamer staff enjoyed Qix particularly for its addictive nature. They also compared its concept to that of the Etch A Sketch, a mechanical toy that allowed its user to draw straight lines across a small screen. The staff believed the game's simplicity was also one of its strong points, alongside its sound effects for being satisfying to hear.[21]

Accolades

At the 5th annual Arkie Awards in 1984, Qix received the Certificate of Merit in the category of "1984 Best Videogame Audio-Visual Effects (16K or more ROM)".[22] In 1995, Flux ranked the game 94th on their "Top 100 Video Games."[23] In 1997, the staff at Electronic Gaming Monthly listed the Nintendo Entertainment System version at #100 on their "100 Best Games of All Time" for its risk-versus-reward system and scoring.[24] The Killer List of Videogames listed it as #27 in their "Top 100 Video Games" list.[25]

title	Qix
developer	Taito
publisher	Taito Atari 8-bit, 5200 Atari, Inc. Lynx Atari Corporation Game Boy Nintendo
designer	Randy Pfeiffer Sandy Pfeiffer
series	Qix
platforms	Arcade Atari 8-bit, Atari 5200, Commodore 64, FM-7, Amiga, Apple II, MS-DOS, Game Boy, Apple IIGS, NES, Atari Lynx, mobile phone
released	October 1981 Arcade NA: October 1981 JP/UK: November 1981‡R1R‡‡R2R‡ AU: January 1982 Atari 8-bit 5200 C64 FM-7 JP: 1983 Amiga Apple II MS-DOS Game Boy JP: April 13, 1990‡R7R‡ NA: May 1990‡R8R‡ EU: September 28, 1990 Apple IIGS NES NA: January 1991‡R9R‡ Lynx
genre	Puzzle
modes	Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

Reception

Accolades

Legacy

Sequels

Clones

External links

References